Contaminant:Iron (III)
Source Iron contamination in water can come from both pollution and natural effects. Erosion of rocks and minerals caused by water can cause iron to run off into the water. Iron contamination caused by pollution happens through runoff from landfills, mine water drainage, and iron related industries such as steel manufacturing which release waste with iron into water sources. There is currently no MAC for iron; however an iron concentration with more than 0.3mg/L may cause water to have a red tint and have small particles of iron floating in the water, this also gives it an unpleasant taste ('Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality', 2014). Iron Poisoning In Humans A lethal dose of iron for adults is approx. 14-17.5g or as little as 3.0g for a child Iron toxicity in humans can result in haemochromatosis a condition in which the body's regulatory system are unable to operate properly. This can result in tissue damage and added iron accumulation. These affects can be amplified by increased intake of iron from alcohol. In addition to thi s people who ingest an excess o iron are also at a greater risk of developing tumors (benign or malignant) ('Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Supporting Documentation: Iron', 2009) Iron in the Ecosystem Iron toxicity in the ecosystem usually occurs in lowland areas with higher amounts of flooding or permenant flooding. The toxicity of iron damages the root systems of vegatation that has been flooded by the iron rich waters by lowering their oxidation power and also alters the appearnence of plants from green to a more bronze like color ('Iron toxicity', n.d). However iron deficency in the soil can also cause issues for plants, a lack of iron can cause iron chlorosis. A disease which may turn the whole plant yellow or white and reduced shoot production along with augmenting the chances of sunburn (Evans, n.d). Organisms usually take in large amounts of iron, be it through water or other means,however they are excreted just as quickly as they are injested therefore the bioaccumulation of iron does not seem to pose a hazard to organisms ('Toxic substance profile: Iron', n.d). Despite this fact iron toxicity in aquatic organisms still has a large impact on their behavoir and population; in both fish and insects iron can alter their biochemistry and behavoir leading to death and injury ('Iron - toxicity, ecological toxicity and regulatory information', n.d). Iron runoff also poses a large problem in terms of pH to aquatic ecosystems. Little life is capable of living in rivers or streams with a pH lower than 3.5 coupled with elevated amounts of iron (dissolved in the water). In addition to this iron precipiate in iron rich waters can blanket the soil of rivers and streams, covering them in a sheet of iron (thickness of this blanket will be dependent on the iron concentration of the water) affecting the invertebrates that live on the bottom of the water and fish ('AMD: Organisms and heavy metal tolerance', n.d).